Ally Medical Emergency Room, a free-standing ER serving communities throughout Texas, collected over 6,000 items for Austin Pets Alive! during their annual donation drive this August, surpassing the 2,272 items collected last year.

Ally Medical ER’s Austin-area locations– Including Central Austin, South Austin, Buda, Bastrop, San Marcos, Dripping Springs and Round Rock– hosted the Pet Supply Donation Drive, collecting toys, treats, blankets and other essentials from APA!’s shelter wish list.

“It was incredible to see all the donations come in, especially with this being my first time working with APA! Ally Medical ER truly blew it out of the park, and our team came together because we all knew how important this cause was,” Alexis Bratton, the new Community Outreach Coordinator at Ally Medical ER Central Austin said. “I’m so grateful to work alongside such amazing people, and we can’t wait to do it again next year.”

Ally Medical ER’s co-founder, Artie Abello, serves on the APA! board and hopes to continue the partnership to help more animals in need.

“Ally Medical has had a connection with Austin Pets Alive! that gets stronger every year. In addition to sponsorship of events, we have done yearly pet supply drives and even made a competition out of it for our different locations. Since doctors and nurses are such high achievers, we were able to donate over 6000 items this year,” Abello said. “Our partnership is so unique that they come to our Christmas parties every year to have a ‘Puppy Party’, a corporate offering that’s becoming extremely popular.”

Ally Medical ER employees play with a puppy named Caddie from Austin Pets Alive! after dropping off more than 6,000 donated items. Photo courtesy of Ally Medical ER.

The donations were recently transported to APA! By Ally Medical team members and City Ambulance. The drop-off was followed by volunteers sorting the items onto shelves and into containers and ended with team members socializing with adoptable pets, including dogs McChicken and Caddie.

It was incredible to see how much Ally came together to support APA! and how these donations will help the pets in their care. Spending time with the dogs, especially sweet Caddie and McChicken, was so sweet,” Abby Charlton, Nursing Director at Ally Medical ER Central Austin said. “They were so loving, and I wish I could bring them all home.”

Ally Medical ER plans to announce its 2026 Pet Supply Donation Drive on Instagram and Facebook and hopes upcoming drives will be just as successful.